Improvement in locks for desks



W. PARK. LOCKS FOR DESKS, 290..

No. 195,726. Patented 0ct.2,1877.

Wineases 17211632 20.71

N- PETERS. PHUI'OJJTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D C UNITED S'rA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

WEBSTER PARK, OF NCBWICH, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS FOR DESKS, Soc.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 195,726, dated October 2, 1877; application filed January 9, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WEBSTER PARK, of Norwich, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a certain Improved Lock for Desks, Bureaus and all the various articles of Household and Oflice Furniture, of which the following is a specification:

I first make a vertical groove in the inner side of the case, in which a number of drawers are set, and fit into this groove a loose bar of metal or wood, having projections extending at right angles from the bar into slots made in the adjacent end of the partitions between the drawers, which also have notches in their bottom edge over the slots in the partitions, so that by moving the bar upward all these projections are partly raised out of the slots in the partitions into the notches in the drawers, by which means all the drawers are locked simultaneously, until the bar is moved downward, when all are released at once.

My improvement consists in the mode of operating this sliding bar.

For this purpose a horizontal groove is cut into the side of the upper drawer; or, if preferred, either of the others may be used. This groove should extend from the rear end of the drawer, parallel to its bottom edge, nearly to the front, where it inclines slightly upward a short distance, and terminates before reaching the front.

A fi'iction-roller is secured upon the side of the bar, so as to travel back and forth in the horizontal part of the groove, while the drawer is drawn out and pushed in, until, when it is nearly closed, the roller strikes the incline at the front end of the groove, and easily raises the sliding bar, so as to fasten all the drawers at once. i

The accompanying drawing represents a single upright series of drawers having the side of the case removed, so as to show the sliding bar and its mode of operation.

A is the bar, of wood or metal, which slides in a suitable vertical groove made in the inside of the case. (Not shown in the drawing.)

B B are the drawers, and C C are the partitions between them. a a are the projections from the side of the bar A, which rest in the slots 0 c. b b are the notches into which the upper part of the projections a a are raised to lock the whole. D is the drawer which operates the bar, and E is the groove, having the incline at the front end. c is the friction-roller, which is fastened upon the bar, and traverses the groove, as above described.

When closed, the drawer D is secured by an ordinary lock, thus locking the whole.

All the parts of this locking device are wholly concealed from the outside, and entirely protected from being tampered with The motion of the bar is positive, it being forced both up and down by the action of the roller in the incline of the groove, having no springs, weights, or joints, which would be liable to get out of order.

This locking device has this great advantage, that the drawer D cannot be entirely closed if, by carelessness or design, either of the other drawers may have been left even slightly open, because its notch will not be over the projection in the slot, so that whenever the drawer D can be closed and locked all the others are locked of necessity.

By this device any number of drawers requires but one look. Thus the saving of a separate lock for each drawer is much more than the cost of the whole device.

It is evident that for desks having a series of drawers upon each end and one central drawer, there should be two of these locking devices, one upon each end of the central drawer, thus fastening thirteen single drawers.

I am aware that sliding bars controlled in part by springs have been used to lock a series of drawers, which is objectionable, because if the springs fail to operate, either from breakage or becoming obstructed, the device would fail to work, and might even without the knowledge of the user; and, also, because, since the spring can only move the bar one way, the resistance of the spring, which must necessarily be stiff to operate well, must be overcome by mechanism to move the bar in the opposite direction, thus creating much friction and wear, while with my improvement a single simple bar, without springs or joints, hangs upon the groove, and is easily forced both up and down by the incline, thus reducprojections a a, engaging into the notches b b ing the friction to a minimum, necessitating in the drawers B B, substantially as herein the certainty of looking all the drawers, and described. entirely removing the danger of disarrangement and breakage. WEBSTER R I claim as my invention. Witnesses: The combination, with the drawer D, having H. S. OOIT, the groove E, of the sliding bar A, having A. F. PARK. 

